NEW CHROMONE ALKALOIDS FROM THE ROOT -BARK OF SCHUMANNIOPHYTON MAGNIFICUM (HARMS)

Abstract

The chemical investigations of some representative alkaloids of Rubiaceae are reviewed. The total syntheses of emetine and quinine are also reviewed while the biogenesis of anthraquinones and biosyntheses of chromones, nicotinic acid 'and nicotine are outlined. The bronchiodilator activities of Khellin and some chromone derivatives are compared and a brief review of the pharmacological activities of a few of the Rubiaceous alkaloids is given. From the methanol extract of the root-bark of Schumanniophyton magnificum, a well known chromone, 5, 7-dihydroxy-2-methylchromone (noreugenin) 97 was isolated in addition to five alkaloids designated SRB2, SRB3, SRB(3)’, SRB(3)" and SRB(4). The constitutional formulae of two of these alkaloids, schumannificine (SRB ) 4 -138 and N-methylschumannificine (SEB(3) 147, have been shown to be new linear tetracyclic compounds with ring D being piperidine in nature on the basis of the chemical evidence and spectral analyses. SRB(2) has been shown to be identical in physical and spectral properties with the product of dehydrogenation of schumannificine (SRB(4) which was named dehydroschumannificine 142. The synthesis of dehydroschumannificine 142 was attempted , This was done in order to correlate the structure that was assigned to it with the natural alkaloids, schumannficine 138and N-methylschumannificine 147, but only the first intermediate, 2,4,6-trihydroxynicotinophenone no 146 was obtained. It was characterised by its spectral properties. The spectral properties of SEB(2)' and SEB(3)" are discussed briefly arid since no conclusive work has been done on then they are tentatively assigned structures 148 & 149 respectively on the basis of their spectral, data.